In May of 2007, the Ironton City Schools Board of Education adopted the Ohio School Facilities Commission Model of Responsible Bidders to guarantee the highest quality project, long before advertising for construction bids.

This was the precursor to the Project Labor Agreement in August of 2007 when the State of Ohio made it possible to enter into such an agreement.

This agreement stipulated that skilled workers would build Ironton’s new schools. All contractors associated with the district’s project are required to complete federal and state approved apprenticeship programs.

It also makes all contractors be OSHA compliant and all employees be drug free. The PLA did not discriminate against any construction worker.

There is currently a non-union company working on our schools right now.

They have to use employees who meet the aforementioned high quality standards.

The budget for Ironton City Schools was established by estimates conducted in 2005.

The estimate for the 2008 construction of Ironton High School was within 6 percent of the bids.

The Middle and Elementary schools bids were within .06 percent of 2008 estimates.

The contractors for the Ironton Schools are the same as the contractors for Wheelersburg, Chesapeake, and Portsmouth City Schools.

The PLA did not eliminate any bidders, but ensured that the district would get high quality, trained contractors to build our new schools.

The Ohio School Facilities Commission recently added nearly $4 million more to the Ironton project because of inflationary cost.

This additional money will not cost the citizens of Ironton any additional taxes.

In closing, I feel the PLA guaranteed Ironton the highest quality schools for the youth and future of this community.

Dean Nance

Superintendent, Ironton City Schools.